HC grants last opportunity to Govt for filing compliance

Eviction of ex-Ministers, others from bungalows

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 11: High Court has granted last opportunity to the Government for filing compliance report regarding eviction of former Ministers, MLAs, retired officers and others, who are still unauthorizedly residing in bungalows and other accommodation of the Estates Department both at Jammu and Srinagar and recovery of outstanding amount from the authorized/ unauthorized occupants.
When the petition came-up for hearing, B A Dar, Senior Additional Advocate General sought some more time to update the compliance report. Dar, when pointedly asked as to why time is sought by the respondents again and again for updating the compliance despite there being repeated directions, submitted that he was making such request only on the instructions of the authorities in the respondent department.
In view of the approach adopted by the respondents, a need was felt to apprise the Advocate General of the issue involved and request him to render his valuable assistance in the matter so as to facilitate an early and speedy decision in the case”, Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey said, adding “the Advocate General, accordingly, appeared before the court through virtual mode and assures that an updated compliance report, in tune with the directions passed from time to time, will be filed by the next date of hearing”.
In view of the submission made by the Advocate General, two months last opportunity was granted to the respondents to submit the updated compliance report thereby disclosing the policy of the Government qua retention or otherwise of the ministerial bungalows as well as other accommodation of the Estates Department.